The Hallie Ford Museum of Art at Willamette University will dedicate a major new piece of outdoor art and celebrate its 10th anniversary the first week of October.

"It's hard to believe that we've been around for 10 years," Museum Director John Olbrantz said. "It seems like yesterday that Willamette President Lee Pelton, benefactor Hallie Ford and I cut the ribbon to officially open the museum."

The new piece of outdoor art, entitled Portals through Time, was created by Ellensburg, Wash., mixed-media artist Dick Elliott for the 45 windows on the second floor of the museum. Each panel measures 69 ¼ x 21 ¾” and consists of safety reflectors in amber, blue, clear, green and red. The piece will be dedicated at a free public ceremony Oct. 1 at 5 p.m. at the museum.

"Each individual panel will represent a unique geometric design, but when viewed as a whole, the panels will add color and excitement to the second floor of our building," said Olbrantz, who has known Elliott for 25 years. "In addition, Dick's reflector installation will help raise the visibility of our building and will add a subtle elegance to the structure while respecting the existing architecture."

Elliott is a nationally recognized mixed-media artist who creates artwork from safety reflectors. His installations have graced the Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington, the Sun Dome in Yakima, Wash., and numerous schools, transit centers, colleges and airports throughout the U.S. Elliott was recently awarded a Governor's Arts Award in Washington state for his contributions to the visual arts.

The Hallie Ford Museum of Art also will celebrate its 10th anniversary October 3–5 with free admission; cake and refreshments; tours of its permanent collection; door prizes; tours of the special exhibition The Art of Ceremony: Regalia of Native Oregon; drawings for memberships and books; lectures by Olbrantz on the history of the museum; and behind-the-scenes tours of its recently remodeled basement and Print Study Center. All events are free; for a full schedule, visit www.willamette.edu/cal/event.cgi/9010.

The museum was founded in 1998 to serve as an artistic, cultural, and intellectual resource for Willamette University, the City of Salem, the mid-Willamette Valley and beyond. In just one decade, the museum's accomplishments have included raising more than $4 million toward an endowment fund; publishing 10 major books; creating 14 exhibitions that traveled regionally, nationally and internationally; and increasing visitation from 10,000–15,000 visitors the year it opened to more than 30,000 annual visitors today. The museum includes four permanent galleries focusing on European, Asian, American, Native American and regional art, and two temporary exhibition spaces featuring historical and contemporary art.

The Hallie Ford Museum of Art is located at 700 State St. (corner of State and Cottage streets) in downtown Salem near the campus of Willamette University. Hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m.–5 p.m., and Sunday from 1–5 p.m. The galleries are closed on Monday. Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for seniors and students. Children younger than 12 are admitted free, and Tuesday is an admission-free day. For more information, call (503) 370-6855 or visit www.willamette.edu/museum_of_art.